Help Orphans In India (GSAM General Fund)

Last year’s monsoon flood hit us hard. In a single week we lost around USD $4,000 worth of grain, and for months afterward every storm cloud felt like a warning of impending disaster. We shared the need through our newsletter, supporters rallied, and we were able to do two big things: dig some proper drainage across the worst-hit areas of campus and completely overhaul our kulla (grain storage/drying facility).

It took a while for us to find a gap in our schedule to actually complete the work but finally it all finished in June 2025, just before the rain of the monsoon hit. The difference has been immediate. The new drains move water off campus quickly, and spaces that used to pool are staying clear. Inside the kulla, we raised and leveled the floor above prior flood marks, sealed trouble spots, improved ventilation, replaced one roof, repaired another, and installed roller shutters with an awning to protect them. None of this is particularly flashy, but it’s exactly the kind of development that we needed. Practical and durable upgrades that safeguard our primary source of food and an importnat income source for our organization.

We always budgeted for a small annual loss to moisture (typically under $500), but we’re confident that will drop significantly –perhaps even to nothing this season. Personally, the greatest change is emotional: when the rain starts, I no longer brace for the worst. Instead, I can get on with the work of caring for our kids and running the school. I can't really express the relief that brings.

If you’d like to follow along with progress like this, you can join our mailing list via the link at the bottom of this report. Thank you for helping us turn last year’s crisis into long-term resilience.

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Over the past few months, your support has helped us do what we do best: build. Not just buildings - but stability, dignity, and momentum for the future.

One of our most urgent priorities was the renovation of our two grain storage rooms - structures that have stood since the 1980s and were severely affected by last year’s floods. Thanks to donor support, we’ve been able to begin giving them a full overhaul: new roofing, internal plastering, raised floors, reinforced drainage, and upgraded electrics. These improvements are critical to protecting our grain and fertilizer supply from the coming monsoon, and ensuring food security for the children and staff who rely on them.

We also completed the full reconstruction of an 11-year-old walkway connecting our girls’ hostels to the dining room. The roof had rusted through in many places, making it problematic during the rains. With nearly 50 new tin sheets now in place and the support structure repainted and repaired, the path is safe, dry, and ready for the season ahead.

Inside the school, we’ve been hard at work too - painting classrooms, shaping gardens, building desks, updating the science lab, purchasing new musical equipment and launching our art room with brand new furniture. These upgrades, while less visible from the outside (until we get the external painting done!), have transformed the learning environment for our students.

And beyond the bricks and beams, your generosity has supported so much more. Filly, our school principal, recently underwent a complex brain surgery and a follow-up surgery that was just as serious! With the help of friends like you, the full cost was covered, and she is now recovering at home. We also welcomed three of our Mission University students into Year 11 at a new school, gave mothers in our community a celebration they’ll never forget and, on the simpler side, finally got the pool cleaned and full, bringing huge joy to our kids during this sweltering pre-monsoon heat. On top of it all we were also able to purchase a brand new tractor to help alleviate pressure on our farm! What a blessing!

Every win, every repaired wall, every full plate of food and confident child walking to class, it’s all because of you! Thank you for investing in this work. You are part of every good thing happening here.

With heartfelt gratitude,
The GSAM Family

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